Gold Philharmonic

Gold Philharmonic Coins

The gold Philharmonic was introduced by the Austrian Mint in 1989 and has been among Europe's best selling bullion coins almost ever since, topping the global sales tables outright in several years. It is the best known of the Austrian gold coins and the only major European bullion coin denominated in euros.

The design, by the Mint's chief engraver Thomas Pesendorfer, celebrates the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. One side shows the Great Organ of the Musikverein concert hall, the other a group of orchestral instruments: a cello, violins, a harp, a bassoon and a horn. It has remained unchanged since launch, which has helped make the coin instantly recognisable to dealers across Europe and beyond.

Like all investment grade gold, the gold Philharmonic is exempt from VAT, so the price you pay reflects the gold content and a small premium rather than being inflated by sales tax.

Gold Philharmonic Coin Specification

The gold Philharmonic is an Austrian gold coin manufactured by the Austrian Mint.

The coin's purity and weight have never changed: every Philharmonic is struck in 999.9 fine gold. What did change was the denomination. Coins issued between 1989 and 2001 carry face values in Austrian schillings, with the one ounce coin denominated at 2,000 schillings. When Austria adopted the euro the face values were restated, and from 2002 the one ounce coin has carried a face value of 100 euros. The gold content is identical either way, so schilling and euro Philharmonics are worth exactly the same for their metal.

Denominations & Sizes

The Philharmonic launched in two sizes, the full ounce and the quarter ounce. A tenth ounce coin was added in 1991 and a half ounce in 1994, completing the range of four that is produced today. Face values run from 100 euros down to 10 euros, nominal figures well below the value of the gold in each coin. Every size is struck to the same 999.9 purity, so the only difference between them is the quantity of gold and the premium on the smaller pieces.

Philharmonic Coins in Other Metals

The Austrian Mint applies the same orchestral design across three metals. The silver Philharmonic was introduced in 2008 and is one of the few one ounce silver coins denominated in euros, while the platinum Philharmonic followed in 2016. All three share the same artwork and the same legal tender status in Austria.

Gold Philharmonic Price

Gold Philharmonic prices are derived from the value of the gold each coin contains. Each gold Philharmonic coin weighs 31.10 grams, and is struck to a purity of 24 carat, meaning it contains 31.10 grams of pure gold.

Gold Philharmonic prices can vary thanks to the coin's history and numismatic appeal, with certain years or designs being particularly desirable with collectors. The price of a new gold Philharmonic coin will typically be based on today's gold price, with a small premium to cover the cost of manufacturing and supply of the coin. Older or rare gold Philharmonic coins can cost considerably more than the UK gold price. With the global price of gold being primarily calculated in dollars, periods in which the pound is weak versus the dollar will see UK gold Philharmonic prices rise, while a strong pound would see lower prices in the UK.

Our gold Philharmonic prices are displayed in real-time, updating every two minutes in-line with the current gold spot price. The gold Philharmonic price shown includes fully insured delivery.

Gold Philharmonic Value

Investors often ask what is the value of a gold Philharmonic? Austrian gold Philharmonic coins have a face value of 100 euro or 2000 schilling depending on the year it was minted. It is important to note that the face value is a nominal amount that has no bearing on the actual value of the coin. As mentioned, the gold Philharmonic coin's main value can usually be worked out based on the current gold price. It is this simplicity that makes gold bullion coins appealing. They are bought and sold based on their intrinsic metal value without having to worry about any numismatic value and a more complicated selling process.

You can always find a simple benchmark value for a gold Philharmonic thanks to the publicly available spot price. The value of a gold Philharmonic is therefore generally the same regardless of the year and is just based on the metal content. Some years of gold Philharmonic might command a further premium. A lower mintage, or special design could see their value increase beyond their metal content.

The easiest way to work out a gold Philharmonic value is to use its gold weight of 31.10 grams and multiply that by the current gold spot price in grams. As a coin with a purity of 999.9 fineness, it's important to calculate the 24 carat gold Philharmonic value, to ensure you have an accurate price.

How Much are Gold Philharmonic Coins Worth?

If you are wondering how much are gold Philharmonic coins worth, a simple rule of thumb is that a gold Philharmonic has 31.10g of pure gold, or 1 troy ounce. If you see the gold price in troy ounces you can therefore work out how much a gold Philharmonic is worth quite quickly.